Murder by Decree (1979)

Sherlock Holmes investigates the murders committed by Jack the Ripper and discovers a conspiracy to protect the killer.

From memory:  Stolid and pedestrian Sherlock Holmes mystery has good production value and Plummer and Mason are well cast as Holmes/Watson, but the large ensemble of stars could have been put to better use.

Halliwell (no star): "Interminably long and unpardonably muddled variation on this over-familiar theme, with halts for the performances of guest star and no clear grip on narrative or character."

Maltin***: "Involved, often lurid story doesn't sustain through conclusion, but flaws overshadowed by warm interpretations of Holmes and Watson by Plummer and Mason."

Les liens de sang (1978)

A homicide detective is trying to solve the brutal murder of  a 17-year-old girl.

From memory:  Top-notch crime thriller with psychological depth, good cast and cinematography, but made in a more mainstream style unusual for its director.

Halliwell (no star): "Dull psychological thriller, with stock characters and showing none of the flair that Chabrol has exhibited when examining the French middle classes under pressure."

Maltin***: "Interesting cast and Chabrol's cold, scientifically masterful direction make this less unpleasant and gory than it might have been."

Profondo rosso (1975)

 

 

After witnessing the murder of a famous psychic, a musician teams up with a feisty reporter to find the killer while evading attempts on their lives by the unseen assailant bent on keeping a dark secret buried.

 

Creepy horror thriller in classic Argento style: dark atmosphere, bizarre murders and an irritating soundtrack; the original uncut Italian version is - in parts - bit too talkative.

 

Halliwell**: "Slick, stylish, decadent, suspenseful thriller, with a disquieting atmosphere that continually puts its audience, like its victims, off-balance. Hemmings's character owes much to his role in Antonioni's Blow Up." 

Maltin**1/2: "There's style to burn in senseless horror thriller...Flashy, bizarre murders set to pounding rock soundtrack."